Europe

Europe

The guides provide information to assist with executive compensation and employee benefit issues within Europe in the form of a series of questions and answers. Set out below are:

•
the questions which are covered for each and every country, followed by
•
links to the various Practice Notes, each of which provides guidance relating to one country

The questions raised in the guides

Sources of rules and practice

•
Provide an overview of the primary sources of law, regulation and practice that govern or affect executive compensation arrangements or employee benefits.
•
What are the primary government agencies or other entities responsible for enforcing these rules?

Governance

•
Are any types of compensation or benefits generally subject to specific corporate governance requirements or approval by shareholders or government?
•
Under what circumstances does the establishment or change of an executive compensation or benefit arrangement generally require consultation with a union, works council or similar body?
•
Are any types of compensation or benefit arrangements prohibited either generally or with senior management?
•
What rules apply to compensation of non-executive directors?

Disclosure

•
Must

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

TAKE A FREE TRIAL

Latest Employment News

Prime Minister announces White Paper on reducing immigration

In a speech on 28 November 2024, Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the state of immigration in the UK, further to the release of revised estimates from the Office of National Statistics which revealed that nearly one million people entered Britain in the year ending June 2023—a fourfold increase from 2019 levels. Starmer announced forthcoming measures to reduce immigration, including the imminent publication of a White Paper, reforms to the points-based system, and new expectations for visa applications regarding training of domestic workers. The Prime Minister also discussed a new security agreement with Iraq, aimed at combating people smuggling and enhancing border security. Additionally, Starmer reported increases in asylum returns (53%) and total returns (34%) over the past year, emphasising the government's commitment to addressing immigration challenges and securing UK borders.

Workers could get six months to bring any employment tribunal claims

Law360: Workers would get six months rather than three to bring any employment tribunal claims under a proposed amendment to the Employment Rights Bill, a move that a lawyer has said 'strikes the right balance'.

High Pay Centre proposes ‘Charter for Fair Pay’ to address income inequality and enhance worker rights

The High Pay Centre, in collaboration with academic experts, has published a comprehensive ‘Charter for Fair Pay’ outlining policy reforms aimed at reducing income inequality and enhancing worker rights in the UK. The charter proposes ten key measures across four areas: employment rights, corporate governance, investment and stewardship, and transparency. Notable recommendations include effectively implementing the forthcoming 2024 Employment Rights Bill, creating seats for elected worker directors on company boards, revising company directors legal duties, and expanding pay ratio reporting. The proposals emphasise empowering workers, facilitating dialogue, and enhancing transparency to enable fairer pay outcomes negotiated between employers and employees, rather than through direct government intervention. The charter also suggests establishing a framework for tax and procurement incentives for responsible businesses and creating a task force to promote worker ownership and profit sharing.

Employment weekly highlights—28 November 2024

This edition of Employment weekly highlights includes: (1) the Regulatory Policy Committee’s red-rated opinion on the Employment Rights Bill Impact Assessments, (2) the announcement of the statutory maternity, paternity, adoption and parental-related pay and sick pay rates taking effect from April 2025, (3) analysis by Robert Woodward and John Chaplin at BDO of changes to tackle tax non-compliance in the umbrella company market announced in the Autumn Budget 2024, (4) Law Society guidance on disability terminology and language, (5) the Tribunal Procedure Committee consultation response confirming that it will proceed with its proposed changes to the Employment Tribunal Rules of Procedure, expected to apply from January 2025, (6) and other news items of interest to employment practitioners.